Electrical indicator



F. A. MUSCHENHEIM AND F. W. BLASDALE.

ELECTRICAL INDICATOR.

ArPucATloN FILED IAN. l2. ma.

z3 if L' iw Patented Jan. 13, 1920.'

F. A. MUSCHENHEIM AND F. W. BLASDALE.

ELECTRICAL INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1^N.1z. 19in'.

1,327,837. Patented .1.111.13, 1920.

4 SHEETSMSHEEI 2.

F. A. MUSCHENHEIM'AND F. WI BLASDALE..

ELECTRICAL INDICATUR.

APPLICATION mw IAN. lz. |913.

Patented Jim. 13, 1920.

ma) La? Chroma,

F. A'. M-USCHENHEIM AND F. W. BLA'SD'A'LE. .mcrmcAL mmcnon.

` APPLICATION FILED Ml. l2. HI8. 1,811.13

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Manin.

3 nwwto u I srATEs PATENT-onirica.

FREDERICK A. NSQIIENHEIM AND EmIDEuICK w. ELASDALE, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL INDICATOR.

and State of New York, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Indicators, 'of ywhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus, adapted for use in hotels, clubs and the like, for enabling signals to be given at various points, and particularly at the clerksdesk, different halls. or sections of the building and the individual rooms. important objectof the invention is to provide signals of two or more kinds, to indiv cate certain conditions, st rh as the presence of a chambermaid orother attendant in the room, and the time when he or she has iinished the work therein, as will appear more. fully from the detailed description given hereinafter. v 1

An example of an indicating system' embodying our invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a diagram of the entire apparatus; i

Fig. 2, rack to be placed' at the clerks desk, with our improved indicators therein;

Fig. 3, a horizontalsectionon line 3-3 Fig. 2 showing a portion of. the rack on Aan enlarged scale;

F,ig. 4, a vertical section on line 4-4 Fig. 3; Fig. 5, one of the indicator sections .of Fig. 3, shown on a still larger scale;

Fig. 6, a central longitudinal section of a wall-socket used in connection with our in vention showing a circuit-closer inserted in said socket;

Fig. 7, a front elevation of the body member of said Wall-socket, with the cover removed;

. Fig. 8, a section on line 8-8 Fig. 7

-Fig. 9, an outside view of another form of circuit closerl which'we employ in connection with the wallsocket shown in Figs.l 6 to 8;

Fig. 10, an edge view of said second form 'of circuit-closer looking in the direction of the -arrow 10 in Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11. illustrates the arrangement of a. groupl of rooms with the corresponding signal lights at the individualrooms, the signal Specification o'f Letters Patent.

a front elevation of a hotel roor a motor 30, say'an electric motor.

. -Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

Application mea January 12, 191s. serial No. 211,562.

light for the whole group, and socketsfor such rooms.

The apparatus, comprises two .sources of electricity A, A which may be two dynamos of like construction and output, connected in seriesa's indicated. From the adjacent or connected poles of such sources of electricity, a wire 20 lleads by means of branches 20', to one terminal 21 of each wall socket 22. Thesev sockets may be of any suitable construction, for instance as shown in Figs. 6',

the wall 7 Vand 8, where such socket consists of a' body 22 of insulating material secured to the wall B, and provided with two terminals 21, 21'.' Any suitable terminal may be employed, but we prefe a terminal comprising a U-shaped section 21 with inwardly bent cel ends 21a vforming elastic side members and av section 21", likewise elastic, extendingm a. plane at' a right angle to that of the U, and provided'with a hook 21". The sections 21b are on opposite sides of the 'two terminals 21, 21 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7'.. Each terminal may be made of one or more pieces of copper or other suitable. material.

screw and nut connection 22", normally secures to the body 22', a coverl 22a'provided with two slots 22b .in alinement with the terminals 21, 21. The second terminal 21,', of

each wall socket, is connected by a branch 23 with a'wire 23', and from the several wires 23 (there being one for each room) a return wire 23 leads to oneof the main. terminals ofthe source of electricity A, A". In each vwire 2 3', between the branch 23 and the return wire 23, a signal lamp 24 is arranged, so that said lamp will light up whenever a current of proper strength passes through that particular wire 23. The lamps 2,4 are arranged on the wall B outside of the respective rooms, and preferably the wall `r"sockets 22 are also arranged outside of the rooms.

The same terminal of the source of electricity which is connnected with the wire 23, is also connnected by a wire 25 with a contact 26, adapted to be engaged periodically 'by a contact arm h 27. This arm erated by means of a connecting rod 28 from The arrangement'may be such as to have the arm 27 oscillate to the left land right respectively at regular intervals, say of three seconds. When moved away from the contact 26, the arm 27 will engage a contact 31, Connected by a.v wire 32 with the other main termina of the source of electricity A, A.

.Eachiof the wires 23 isconnected on the side of the branch 23 o posite to the signal light 24,'with a termina 33 of an indicating apparatus located at the clerks desk, and

preferably .constructed .as fa unit with the such racks.

The rack comprises a-'fra-me 34 with up- -rights 34- extending obliquely with respect to the front ofthe frame, between the top and 'bottom members ofthe frame. The connection -ofv each upright with the said .iramemembersmay be made by means of horizontal angle irons 34". Against the front face of .each upright, between the corf responding angle irons 34, is secured a .piece lof sheet metal 35, theforward edge 35 of which may be bent to-it the correspond-ing edge ofthe upright, while itsrear edge 35". is Abent at right angles so that it `may be readily fastened (sayby screws) to the corresponding rear portion-34a of the n, upright 34. To the metal .sheet 35 we secure, as by soldering, a-r-series -ofsuper- I posed' horizontal holders V36 for the cards C,

the .cards beingadapted to have Written thereon the guests name, room number,- and otherfdata; yEach holder36 has v.its back inclined forwardly and upwardly as shown in Fig. 4, and preferably projects' slightly' beyond the .sheet 35 at 'its forward edge. Each holder has a horizontal channel 36 along its entire llower edge,- and fa horizontal 'ch-anne1`36 along the rear half for portion of i-ts upper'edge, the'fedges of the cards C sliding mfsaid .channels as the cardsrare inserted or removed. The back of'\each card holder rests at lits upper end a ainst the bottom channel 36 of the next older above. Atthe front 'end -of each holder the room number is painted. The holders of adja. cent sets or columns are preferably overj lapping, but a sufficient 'space is .left between adjolmng holders belonging to 'dif-l ferent sets to `interpose the signaling or indrcatmg apparatus mentioned above as located the clerk?s desk.- This apparatus comprlses forwardly extending contacts or terminals l33, 37 the rear ends ofwhich are secured to-fa suitable stationary 4-carrier 38 (fastened to the upright 34 in such a manner, that one terminal will be insulated from the other. At the forward portion 'of each .card holder is secured a conducting eocket?. Z13-he sockets ofthe same column,

maybe, for instance,`carried by al vertical bar 39 of insulating material, securedby screws or otherwise to `the respective upright 34. Each socket 39 :eX-tends horizontally lengthwise of the holder, 'and is adapted to receive one of the clerks signal flig-htsQ This light comprises a suitable bulb 40 with a iilament 41 one end of which `is secured to a metallic plug 42 adapted to be iitted` between the terminals 33, 37 the plug preferably having 'a groove to receive the curved outer ends of said terminals, which latter are made of spring metal., The bulb :1

is fitted into a tubular casing 43, of a conducting materiall to which the other end of the filament 41 is secured.l Said casing is adapted to slide in or out in the conductmg socket 39, ,and is provided at its forwardy portion with an opening in which is set a lens 44, to direct the clerks attention to the card or card holder corresponding to the room that is signaling. It will be understood that the parts 40, 41, 42, 43, 44- are connected with each other rigidly' and move as a unit when being inserted into, or removed from the socket 39. .When not in their sockets 39, these signal units may be kept in any manner convenient for the clerks use, and we prefer to -set them, when not in use, in-vertical sockets 45 (say, of wood) located in a board 46 at the bottom of the room rack and slightly in advance thereof, so as to be within the clerk7s reach.

Each ofthe conducting'sockets 39 is connected by a branch 47 with a wire 47 leading to a contact 48, located in such a manner as to be engaged by the switch 27 at the same time as the contact26. Each of the terminals 37 is connected by a branch 49', which preferablyincludes a resistance 50, with a group wire 49, since for reasons set forth be- 4low it is desirable to arrange and operate the lights -24 -and 40 in certain groups.` For instance, the lights corresponding to all the rooms on one floor may form a group, or the group' may comprise all the rooms opening on the same hall, etc. Each of the group wires 49 is connected by a wire 51, which includes a magnetcoil 51 with a wire 52 leadingto a contact v53 adapted tobe 'engaged by the switch 27 simultaneously with the contact 31. The magnet coil 5'1 when 'energizedwill cause the attraction of an armature 54normally retracted by a spring 55, andwill Abring said armatureinto engagement with a contact 56, connected by a wire 57, in which4 is included a signal such as an incandescent bulb 58, with one of the main terminals of the `source ofl electricity A, A for instance, the two wires 57 may' be connected with the wire 23, as by a wire 57.

The other-main terminal ofthe source of electricity is connected with all lthe armatures 54, as by a wire 59. The signals 58 may .be termed group signals, and each ,vide two kinds of such circuit-closers, one

kind' bein shown in Figs. 6 and 8 and the other in igs. 9 and 10,'but itwill be understood that all of these circuit-closers whether of one kind o r another, will lit the wall-sockets 22 provided for. the several rooms. A

The circuit-closer shown in Figs. 6 and 8 consists'simply of a bow or U-shaped flat piece of metal 60 the ends of which are adapted to be inserted through the slots 22b of the cover 22" to connect lthe .terminals 21, 21 as illustrated byl Fig. 6. The side members of the circuit-closer or key 60are provided at their inner edges lwith notches 60 to be engaged by the hooks 219 of the terminal sections 21b to hold the key .against accidentalseparation. 'The ends' of the key t between the ends 21EL of the -terminals which press elastically against the side surfaces of said ends.

The other circuit-closer shown in Figs. 9 and 10 comprises a casing 61 which may .have a transparent cover 61 and contains a suitable motor or clockwork 62." 4This clockwork drives a star wheel 62 to operatel an intermittent circuit-closer consisting of two contacts 63, 63 one of which,.63, isI

periodically separated from the other by the action of the star wheel', and `then snaps back to contact. These two'contaots and the terminals 64, 6'4 with which4 they are connected are `insulated fromeach other and voltage, say 16 their relative position is such that they will properly fit 'the two slots 22b of a wall socket 22, to enl agethe terminals 21, 21 of said socket; hese terminals 64, 64 are notched and shaped like the ends instance, cause the circuit to be interrupted say four times during the three-second periods during which the switch arm 27 rcl mains in its contact making position.

The room signal lights 24 and the desk signal lights 40 are preferably of the same lights 58 are of a higher voltage, say 22 volts, -eachv of vthe resistances 50 being such as to take, say 6 volts..

In' operation, the arm 48 to engagement with the contacts 31, -53, remaining in engagement with leach set f or a suitable period, say three 'seconds each time. desk signal lights 40 are removed from their conducting sockets 39,

` will cause thegroup l of the key 60, Thev clockwork driving' the wheel 62 may forr volts, while the group signal.

27 swings periodically from vengagement with the contacts 26, -cuit-closer or ey 60 shown in 27. v Now, suppose the clerk desires to inform the maid or other attendant that her services are required in a certain roorn, he

willput the signal light 40 in the socket 39 corresponding to that room. Then, as the oscillation of the switch arm 27 brings it against the contacts 31 and 53, the following circuit will be closed: first, from contact 53, through wire 52 to wires 51 and 49 ofthe particular group to which said room belongs, the branch 49 responding to that room, 42, terminal 33, wire 23 and signal vlight 24 of the particular room, wire 23, source of electricity A, A', wire 32, contact 3 1 and switcharm 27, thus lighting the lamp 24 corresponding to that room.

`The passing of the current through the wire 51 will by means of the coil 51 enerterminal 37, plug gize the corresponding magnet to attract the' of electricity through wires 57', 23. This,4

signal light 58 to iash thus signaling the attendant at her station that she is wanted in one of the rooms belonging tol the group under her care, and her attention havin thus been attracted, she will see which or Vthe room lights 24 is iiash- 111gwill ash after the room'light 24, the two occurrences are practically' simultaneous.

The circuits described above, causing the room signal 24 and the corresponding group long as the switch arm 27 engages the contacts 31 and 53, and no circuit will be closed (under the conditions set forth so far) when the switch arm 27 engages and 48, that. is to say as long as none of the circuit-closers shown in Figs. 6, 8, 9 and 10 is inserted in the corresponding wall socket 22. It will be noted that under the conditions described so far, the high voltage current derived from both dynamos or other sources of electricity A, connected in series will pass through the group signal 58 and room signal 24, the resistance 50 etfecting a proper reduction of voltage in the circuit of 'the low-voltage. lamp 24. The desk signals 40 will not light up under the conditions so far described.

the contacts 26 and resistance 50 cor- While theoretically, the group light 58 When the attendant enters a room to work therein, she is supposed to insert in the wall socket 22 of that roo1n,'the permanent cir- Figs. 6 and 8. With this arrangement, the engagement of the switch arm' 27 with the contacts 31 and 53 will close the saine circuits as described above, .sending the current of both sources of electricity through the room lamp 24 and the group lamp 58. i The operationv how..

. wire 20, so that the current from -the source of electricity A will be short-circuited through this shunt, leaving practically onl the current from the source of electricity to pass through the lamp 24 whenever contact is made between 27 and 31, 53, which will result in lthe lamp 24 burning quite dim at the time of such contact, or not at all, this depending on the voltage of the current and of the lamp. A

When, with the conditions as just described, the switch arm 27 engages the contacts 26 and 48, `the following circuit will be closed from one pole of source of electricity A, `through wire 25, contact 26, switch arm 27, contact 48, wire 47, branch 47 conducti-ng. socket 39, casing 43, filament 41, plug 42, terminal 33, wire 23, branch 23, terminal 21 key 60, terminal 21, branch 20', and wire 20 to the opposite .pole of the source of electricity A. will therefore, be caused to ash in substantially the same manner in which the room signal 24 iickers during the engagement of the switch arm 27 with the contacts 31 and 53, as first described above, This flashing of the desk signal (with intervening periods of darkness while the switch arm 27' is olf the contacts 26, 48) will inform the clerk at the desk that the attendant is working in the room, while a similar information will be imparted to the guests or other persons in the hall outside the room, bythe dim iiashingof the room signal 24 (with inter- \ening periods of darkness while the switch arm 27v is off the ,contacts 31, 53). g

When the maid or other attendant is through with her work, rand leaves the room, she will remove the permanent circuit-closer from the wall socket 22 and substitute the intermittent circuit-closer or "clockwork shown in Figs 9 and 10. It will be obvious that this'will closeV exactly the same circuits which have been'set forth above in connection with the operation of the permanent circuit-closer, except that these circuits will be opened and closed several times while the switch arm 27 engages the contacts 31, 53 or 26, 48 respectively. The result. will therefore be, that the room signal 24 will flicker when the switch arm 27 engages the contacts 31, 53 and the desk signal 40 will flicker while the switch arm 27 engages the contacts 26, 48, the change from flash to flicker indicating to the clerk as well as to persons in the vicinity of the room that the attendant has left the room.

v It will be understood that the attendant will wind the clockwork 62, as by means of he desk signal 40` a handle or 'key 62". Itis presumed of course, that the corresponding desk signal 40 is still in its socket 39 at the time the attendant substitutes the clock work circuitcloser for the key 60. As a rule, the intermittent circuit-closer will be left in its wall socket 22 only-a short time. It will lbe understood however, that vthe exact manner and sequence of using the .various instrumentalities described, may be modified to suit the owners convenience. The room clerk will generally remove the lamp 40 as f soon as it gives the'icker signal, showing ing of his desk si al 40 that the attendantv has left the room, e removes the said signal from the socket 39, thus stopping the operation of the signal lights pertaining to that particular room. y

Should the clerk insert a second lam 40 in a socket 39 while another socket 39o the same grou contains vsuch a lamp, and while a circuit-c oser is .in the socket 22 corresponding'to such other socket 39, the resistv ance 50 in the circuit of such second lamp 40 will reduce the amount of current shunted through such second lamp, to such an extent that this lamp will not be affected at all, or but very slightly, by the operation of the circuit-closerinserted at 22. Proper signaling at the clerks desk is thus insuredl even when two or more lamps 40 are inserted in sockets 39 of the same group.

We dopnot' claim, in this application, certain structural and electrical features of the room rack or switchboard, of the clockwork switch, and of the wall-socket circuit closer` or electrical connector disclosed herein, as these are separate inventions and in part form the subject-matter of 4divisional a s plicationsl filed August 17, 1918underS1drial Nos. 250,288; 250,289 and-250,290.

We claim: I

1. In a signaling system, asource of electricity, a plurality of circuits connected therewith, and having a portion'in common, each of the separate portions of said circuits containing a gap, and the commonpor-v tion also containin a gap and including a relay, individual signals controlled by the separate portions of said circuits, a circuit' connected with said source of electricit and including a gap controlled b said re ay, a group signal controlled by t e la'st Y'named named circuits,

l gap in one therewith, and having a portion in common, .leach of the 4separate portions of said cirand the common f portion also containing a gap and including cuits containing a gap,

a relay, individual signals controlled by the separate portions of said circuits, a circuit in shunt relation to the first named circuits and including a gap controlled by said relay,-

a group signal controlled by the last named circuit, apermanently operating circuitf closer for periodically opening 'and closing the gap inthe common portion of the first named circuits, and another circuit-closer under the operators control, for closing the gap in one of the separate portionslof said circuits and causing the operation of the corresponding individual signal. y

3. In a signaling system, a source of electricity, a plurality of circuits connected therewith, and having a portion in common,

each of the separate portions of said circuits containing a gap, and the common portion also containing a gap and including .a

relay, individual signals controlledl by the separate portions of said circuits, a circuit including a gap controlled by said relay, a group signal controlled by the last named circuit, a permanently operating circuitcloser for periodically opening and. closing the gap in the common portion of the irstV and another circuit-closer under the operators control, forclosing the of the separate portions of said circuits and causing the operation of the corresponding individual signal.

4, In a signaling system, a source of electricity, a plurality of circuits connected therewith, and having a portion in common,

each of the separate portions of said .circuits containing a gap, an individual signal on one side of said gap, and a resistance on the other side of the gap, the said common portion of the circuits also containing a ap and including a relay, a circuit including a gap controlled by said relay, a group signal controlled by the last named circuit, a permanently operating circuit-closer for periodically opening and closing the ga in the common portion of the first name circuits, and another circuit-closer under the operators control, for closin the gap in one of the separate portions o said circuits and causing the operation of the(cor responding individual signal.

5. vIn a signaling system, a source of elecof said circuits a pluralit of circuits connected therewith, and having a portion in common, each of the separate portions ofsaid circuits containing a gap, a circuit-closer adapted to ,close said gap and having alight giving filament, the common portion of said circuits also containing a gap, another circuit including said filament and connected with said source of electricity, said circuit also including a gap, individual signals controlled by the separate portions circuits and a permanently operating circuit-closer for periodically opening and clo'sing the gap in the common portion 'of the first named circuits and also periodically opening and closing-the gap in the lament circuit.

6. In a signaling system a source of electricity, a plurality of circuits Aconnected therewith and having a portion in common, each of the separate portions ofl said cir-. cuits including a gap, the common portion also containing a gap, incontrolled by said separate a shunt around each of the signal controlling' portions, each of v said shunts likewise containing a gap, means for closing the shunt gap, means under the operator s control for closing separate circuit portions, and a permanently operating ,circuit-closer for periodically opening and closing the gap in the common portion of the first named'circuits. v

7 In a signaling system, two sources of tricity,

dividual ,signals circuit portions,

'electricity connected in series and having nect with the other end terminal, each oit' said fcircuitscontaining a gap, an individn ual signal controlled'by that ortion of each circuit which is between sai gap andthat end terminal with 4which the circuits are permanently connected, a'conducting member located adjacent to each' of said gaps and connected with the other contact adapted'to be engaged by said switch, an electric sig'nal having one terminal adapted to bridge said gap and another terminaladapted at the same time, to enga e said conducting member, a plurality of said circuits having 'a the gaps in sa1d 15 vof the first named operated automatic i portion in common and a rel'ayin `'such common portion, a group circuit connected with said end terminals and having a ga conf trolled 4by said relay, a group signa con. trolled by said group circuit, shunts connect-4 ed at one end with said intermediate terminal and at the other end with points off the separate circuit portions between their aps and the signal controlling portions, eac of said-shunts containing a 'gpxand meanfr closing the shuntlgaps. .E

. l 8. In a signalingsystemf-twoz sources of `electricity connected in: se 1ies andi havingV two end terminalszand.' anziintermediate terminal, a periodically: operated automatic switch two contacts adapted tobe engaged by said switch alternately. and to. be connect- 'i ed respect1vely,.with opposite end terminals,

ll: trolled by that portion of each circuit which a plurality o'f circuits connected with one of said end terminals and with the contact which the switch is adaptedto connect with the other end. terminaheach of said circuits containing a gap, an individual signal conis between said gap and that end terminal l ipsum with-#which the circuits. are .permanently connected, a conducting member located ad-z- A jacent to each of said gaps: and connected? -with fthexother -contact adapted-to be enf.

g fredby 'said switch, an electricxsignal have ing one terminal adapted to. .bridge said gap and another terminal adapted at the sametime, to engage said conducting member,-

shunts connected at one end with said intermediate terminal and at the other end with .f .A FREDERICK i. MUSGHENHEIM. I

l .FREDERICK W. BLASDALE. 

